Bill Clinton's Blockbuster Rescue

Former prez called on pals to help finance trip

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The former president -- who returned to the U.S. yesterday with journos Laura Ling and Euna Lee -- tapped into his network of contacts to help finance the trip.

Updated at 8:15 AM CDT on Thursday, Aug 6, 2009

Bill Clinton's heroic rescue of the two U.S. journalists jailed in North Korea was partly bankrolled by a big-time Hollywood producer and organized by a Tinseltown public-relations firm, according to a report.

The former president -- who returned to the U.S. yesterday with journos Laura Ling and Euna Lee -- tapped into his network of contacts to help finance the trip, the New York Postreported.

Clinton borrowed Hollywood producer Steven Bing's private Boeing 737 jet for the rescue. The multimillionaire mogul -- whose company produced "Beowulf," "Polar Express" and filmed Clinton's 60th birthday gala in New York City -- paid for $200,000 in fuel for the trip.

The arrival ceremony was organized by A-list Tinseltown PR firm Rogers & Cowan, which also represents the Bing, according to The Post.